External Distance Engine

This page is accessed via Shipment Management > Power Data > Geography > External Distance Engine.

Oracle Transportation Management can use distance data from Oracle Map Cloud Services is configured by default, but you can also use a third party application. Oracle Transportation Management supports third party external engines from ALK (PC*MILER), and HERE. Workbench map supports Oracle Map Cloud Services, HERE, and ALK.

Passing Correct Dimensions to EDEs

Different EDEs may use data differently. EDEs need equipment dimensions so they can insure proper street level routing, OTM needs to contain equipment dimensions (length, width and height) for the external distance engines to use. Configuration is required for this. See the following help topics for further details:

• About Sending Equipment Dimensions to External Distance Engines. Shows the configuration required so all the dimensions are available for EDEs.
• Calculation of Loaded Equipment Dimensions for External Distance Engines: explains how different dimensions are determined.

Configuring a New Instance of an External Distance Engine

Required Data

Distance can be calculated using postal codes or city and country. However, you must use a method that your installation of PC*Miler, HERE or Oracle Map Cloud Services supports. Consult your Oracle Map Cloud Services, PC*MILER, or HERE documentation or contact their technical support staff if you are unsure which methods are supported for your installation. You can also look at the external distance engine definitions provided in the PUBLIC domain. You need this data in the parameter and value fields.

Configuring an Instance of an External Distance Engine

1. Enter a unique identifier in the External Distance ID field. You will use this ID when you refer to this external distance engine on other pages.
2. Select a domain in which this external distance engine will be active from the Domain Name drop-down list.
3. If needed, enter additional information about the engine in the External Distance Engine Description field.
4. Choose one of the following options for controlling cache from the Cache Control Type list:

   Note: You can set the property glog.ExternalDistanceEngine.useNewEDECache to use a new cache which will reduce the hits on the EDE when Dynamic Attributes (including Length, Width, Height, Weight and HAZMAT) are involved.

   • Cache by XLane Don't Lookup - Don't Save - The Oracle Transportation Management Distance table is not used.
   • Cache Off: OTM makes the call to EDE without caching any result in any of the caches. This option is needed for a situation where parameters to EDE change (such as weight, volume etc) for each call, even when the source/destination attributes are fixed. In other words, the existing system level property to suppress cache of EDE by Engine Type extends to EDE level.
   • Cache by XLane Lookup - Don't Save: Values in the Oracle Transportation Management Distance table will be used before querying the External Distance Engine. Values from the External Distance Engine will not be saved.
   • Cache by XLane Don't Lookup - Save: Values in the Oracle Transportation Management Distance table are ignored. Values from the External Distance Engine will be saved to the OTM Distance table.
   • Cache by XLane Lookup and Save: Values from the External Distance Engine will be saved in the Oracle Transportation Management Distance table. The Oracle Transportation Management Distance table will be checked for values first before querying the External Distance Engine.
   • Cache by Addresses Lookup and Save: This turns on the cache by addresses. Values from the External Distance Engine will be saved in the Oracle Transportation Management Distance by Addresses table. This table will be checked for values first before querying the External Distance Engine.

     Note: The only external distance engine address types supported are City Province, City Country, Postal Code, and Postal Country.

   Note: The in-memory App-Tier caches (i.e., the RateDistanceCache and associated caches) are used for every option except for Cache Off.

   Note: In order to clear the cache for the distance when the Cache Type is not "Cache Off", you can use the Clear EDE Lookup process.

5. Select the External Engine Type from the drop-down list. The options are the various external distance engines. The Java Class and Connection Type are auto populated based on External Engine Type selected. Once saved, the External Engine Type (and therefore the Java Class and Connection Type) cannot be changed. You can configure your own EDE. A blank value is available in the drop-down of the External Engine Type. When this is selected, you can manually enter the relevant information.
   
   If the option selected is 'HERE' (version 7) or 'HERE - Routing' (version 8) option, enter an External System ID.
6. If the Connection Type is Web Service, enter an External System ID.
7. Enter a County Override ID. Some external distance engines use county information in their lookups. However, some engines take the full county name, some require a 2-4 letter code.
8. Enter a Parameter, Value and Country Code. The list of parameters is filtered depending on the external distance engine selected. Valid values for each parameter are provided in the Value drop-down list. Click Save after each parameter selected. For more information about different EDS, available parameters and possible values, see External Distance/Service Engine and Map Parameters.
9. Enter a Geo Hierarchy ID and Country Code. Click Save after each.

The Lane is created using the geo hierarchies defined here.

Example: Parameter Value

Scenario: You want to create a setting for PC*MILER where USA and Canada handles source address by city and province, while the rest of the world handles source address by city and country.

1. Enter SOURCE_ADDRESS_TYPE in the Parameter field.
2. Enter CITY_PROVINCE in the Value field.
3. Enter USA in the Country Code field.
4. Click Save.
5. Enter SOURCE_ADDRESS_TYPE in the Parameter field.
6. Enter CITY_PROVINCE in the Value field.
7. Enter CAN in the Country Code field.
8. Click Save.
9. Enter SOURCE_ADDRESS_TYPE in the Parameter field.
10. Enter CITY_COUNTRY in the Value field.
11. Enter * in the Country Code field.
12. Click Save.

Example: Parameter Value

Scenario: You want to use the default PC*MILER routing logic instead of the PC*MILER distance data with the Oracle Transportation Management routing logic.

1. Enter USE_DEFAULT_ROUTING_TYPE in the Parameter field.
2. Enter Y in the Value field.
3. Click Save.

Example: Parameter Value

Scenario: You want to have a backup in case PC*MILER fails to get distance for the distance type specified such as city to city or zip to zip. This backup distance is not cached.

Note: This example is not applicable to PC*MILER Rail.

1. Enter BACKUP_WITH_LAT_LON in the Parameter field.

   Note: The parameter BACKUP_WITH_LAT_LON is not applicable if you are using PC*MILER Rail.

2. Enter Y in the Value field.
3. Click Save.

Results

Connect a Rate Distance to this External Distance Engine

Use a Rate Distance in a Rate Offering

Province Codes

If your external distance engine definition uses province codes, your locations must use province codes supported by PC*MILER. For example, when using Quebec, Canada as a location, you would enter PQ, the code supported by PC*MILER, instead of the more commonly used QC. See your Oracle Map Cloud Services or PC*MILER documentation for a list of supported codes.

Note: If you are using PC*MILER, all distance information received from PC*MILER will be stated in miles. PC*MILER assumes that information sent to it is expressed in miles.

Copy Action

Use this action to copy external distance engine configurations to a new engine.

When you run the action, a new window opens with all fields populated with the configuration data of the engine being copied with the exception of the External Distance ID field.

1. Enter a new ID in the field.
2. Make any other changes you require.
3. Click Finished.